Left Ventricular Aneurysm Repair Through the Left Anterior Minithoracotomy

To describe the technique and the results of left ventricular aneurysm (LVA) repair with simultaneous coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and/or mitral valve (MV) surgery through the left anterior thoracotomy.

Between October 2018 and June 2024, a cohort of 40 patients underwent repair for postinfarction LVA through left anterior thoracotomy. Simultaneous procedures included CABG (40 patients, 100%) and MV surgery (15 patients, 37.5%) and were performed through the same thoracotomy incision. The mean age of the patients was 61.4 ± 11.4 years (range, 33 to 82 years), the mean body mass index was 27.9 ± 4.3 kg/m² (range, 19.9 to 35.9 kg/m²), and the mean LV ejection fraction was 29.9% ± 8.6% (range, 10% to 55%). The surgical technique in all patients included peripheral cardiopulmonary bypass, minithoracotomy in the fourth intercostal space, aortic cross-clamping, and cold blood cardioplegia.

Successful visualization and repair of the LVA and complete revascularization was achieved in all patients without conversion to sternotomy. The mean number of distal anastomoses per patient was 2.03 ± 1.12 (range, 1 to 5). The mean cardiopulmonary bypass time was 207 ± 51.0 min, and the mean cross-clamp time was 115.5 ± 28.7 min. The average intensive care unit stay was 2.1 ± 1.4 days (range, 1 to 8 days), and the total hospital stay was 6.8 ± 2.9 days (range, 4 to 14 days). No strokes, major complications, or hospital mortality were observed. The 30-day mortality included 1 patient.

LVA repair (isolated or combined with simultaneous cardiac surgical procedures) through the left anterior thoracotomy is shown to be efficient and safe in our experience.